Forgiveness
by MizzW
Summary: *One-shot* Post-war the past has left scars, there is no way around it. Most battered of all would be Uchiha Sasuke. And reminiscing your mistakes on the day of a certain precious person's death doesn't do you much good. But there is a light somewhere at the end, all Sasuke has to do is reach out, and listen.


****This is a short one-shot I did inspired by the song 'Young' performed by James Arthur. I suggest listening to it, because it's wonderful and raw. As I said, this is just a one-shot and nothing long. Hope you enjoy :)****

* * *

It was one of those days. The ones where he didn't feel like stepping out of bed anymore. The ones where he kept his blinds closed, just to avoid the light of the day to shine through. Light felt misplaced in this situation. There wasn't a thing he did right in his life. Small wonder that today was the anniversary of a certain death. It always left Sasuke with an empty feeling coiling in his stomach. His eyes burned, but the dryness of them was unmistakable. He hadn't cried in years. He had forgotten how it felt, and he didn't know if he was too weak to cry, or strong enough not to anymore.

Why did he feel this way anyway? He had seen Itachi.. After. his brother -or rather a resurrection- had told him.. _'Whatever you do, I'll always love you'_. He had clearly forgiven him. And then he had disappeared. He had lost him _again_. He turned and writhed on the bed, flopping down on his stomach in the end, slamming his pillow onto his head. He enveloped himself in the darkness of it and muffled the sounds of everyday life that his walls and windows couldn't.

After a while of silence he opened his eyes -had he fallen asleep?- He had heard something.. He swore. But in the darkness, his pillow still on his head, he saw nothing. He removed the heavy weight off of his head and slowly sat up. Adjusting to the dusky light in his room. There was a figure there, seating himself in his desk-chair. But he didn't seem normal.. There was something.. _Off _about him. And when Sasuke had rubbed his eyes, he saw it. It was: _"Me?"_

The other Sasuke was in every aspect his mirror image. Yet he had chosen for his wardrobe all white gear, instead of the gloomy black Sasuke normally chose for these days. He also seemed.. Translucent almost. If Sasuke was shocked -which he was- he didn't show it much. _"I'm dreaming, or hallucinating." _He told himself. Both of which were reasonable explanations for what was happening.

The figure began to speak. _"I am neither in your dreams, nor am I a hallucination. I'm here for your salvation." _

_"My what?!" _

_"You're in pain." _

As if he hadn't known that himself. And as to prove it, the thought of Itachi made his heart sting sharply. So much so he clasped his hand into the fabric over his heart. _"Do you know why?" _Did he know.. Of course he did! He had killed his own brother out of revenge, what the hell was he talking about? When he didn't answer the other continued. _"I can assure you.. You don't"_

_"Oh, but I do." _Sasuke managed to mumble. _"I betrayed my own brother, blinded by revenge. I'm a monster." _His other self looked at him with a pitying look. One Sasuke had given others countless of times. _"Do you want to know why this pains you so? It's not because of your brother. This isn't about him. He has forgiven you, and you know that." _Sasuke stared at himself. Dumbfounded and unbelieving. _"You know nothing! You may look like me but you're not me!" _

_"Oh but I am. I am your inner self. I am the one that knows your deepest darkest thoughts. I know their roots, as well as how they are to be solved. But you have to listen.. Listen.. To yourself."_

It was all a bit too much for the teen. He was a shinobi, trained to be strong, merciless, calculating. But nothing here made sense. And he was still fairly sure he was hallucinating. But if his own image wouldn't disappear. What could he do. He decided to humor himself and give it a shot. _"I- I'm listening."_

_"Well then. I will tell you the reason you are this troubled. The reason you can't sleep at night in fear of those dreams that taunt your mind. It's not because of the horrid things in the past. It's because of yourself!" _

_"Me? Of course it's me.. I was the one doing those.. Those terrible things." _

_"That is true enough, but the real reason is.. You haven't __**forgiven **__yourself."_

The word struck him like a blow to the stomach. It took him less than a second to realize he was right. He'd always beaten himself down even though in the back of his mind a voice had told him Itachi wouldn't want this. The demons in his mind were stronger when they told him he was a monster that he didn't deserve to see the light of the sun. They told him he didn't deserve to be happy, because of what he'd done. Now he realized those demons had been him. _He_ was the one that couldn't let go.

He stood for a moment, staring at himself. Then abruptly, he turned and opened the blinds. The light streamed in and immediately everything looked better. What a little bit of sunlight couldn't do. He even allowed for a small smile to play at his lips.

He turned to the image of himself reaching out but retracting his hand. If he touched him.. Would he still be there? Or would he find out that this time.. He'd truly gone insane? His question was answered when the mirage approached him and provided him with a hug. It wasn't like hugging something vast. He felt a distinct warmth covering his cool skin. He felt intensely happy for just a moment.

_"Thank you.. So much."_

And for the first time in years.. A tear left his eye. The warmth got heavier on his shoulder, like a hand was placed upon it. Then.. It was gone.

It was midday and Sasuke ruffled his hair. He should visit nii-san, he decided. And with that he changed his black shirt for a white, went out the door and made for the graveyard. Perhaps he'd even buy flowers.. He had to tell his brother: He'd finally accepted his **forgiveness**.


End file.
